This invention relates to sanitization processes for use on fabrics or other solid objects.
The sanitization of small solid objects such as eating utensils, infant toys and paraphernalia, personal grooming items such as combs and hair brushes, and the like, against bacteria can be effected by applying various antiseptic chemicals thereto. However, such chemicals may not be useful against fungi. In any event, the sanitization of larger objects such as garments by the direct application of antiseptic chemicals is expensive and inconvenient. The present invention provides an effective sanitization process which can be used in the home and is especially useful for treating fabrics in a non-immersion process. Specifically, a treatment process for sanitizing fabrics at home is disclosed.
Together with the soil and stain removal aspects of a typical dry fabric treatment process, there is also a consumer need for what can be termed fabric sanitization and xe2x80x9crefreshmentxe2x80x9d. Thus, garments which have lint, hair or other solid debris clinging to their surfaces, which may have adsorbed malodors, or which have become wrinkled or otherwise lost their fresh appearance, are often subjected to conventional commercial dry cleaning processes mainly to reestablish their freshness aspect. Such processes can also help sanitize the garments by removing or destroying microorganisms.
Attempts have been made to provide in-home dry cleaning systems. One type of non-immersion, in-home system for cleaning and refreshing garments comprises multiple single-use carrier sheets containing various liquid or gelled cleaning agents and a re-usable plastic containment bag. The garments are placed in the bag together with a sheet, and then tumbled with heating in a conventional clothes dryer. After the garments are cleaned and refreshed, the bag, which may retain traces of moisture, can then be stored for later re-use when the process is repeated.
It has now been discovered that, when properly constructed and operated, the process herein can kill or otherwise hinder the growth of bacteria and other microbials which may be present on solid articles such as soiled garments. Unexpectedly, when conducted in the vapor-venting manner of this invention, fungi are also killed or their growth inhibited. As an added advantage, the interior surfaces of the containment bag are also sanitized. Hence, when the bag is stored between uses the growth of xe2x80x9cmildewxe2x80x9d or bacteria in the bag is minimized.
The use of H2O2 in sterilization processes is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,230,663, to Forstrom, et al., issued Oct. 28, 1980 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,169,124, to Forstrom, et al., issued Sep. 25, 1979 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,169,153 to Moore, et al., issued Sep. 25, 1979. WO 97/00993A1, published Jan. 9, 1997 to Weller, et al.; WO 97/00990A2, published Jan. 9, 1997 to Tyerech, et al.; GB 2,302,553A, published Jan. 22, 1997 to Telesca, et al.; GB 2,302,878A, published Feb. 5, 1997 to Weller, et al.; and GB 2,302,879A, published Feb. 5, 1997 to Sidoti, et al. all relate to in-dryer fabric cleaning. U.S. Pat. No. 4,532,722, issued to S. H. Sax, Aug.6, 1985, relates to a fabric conditioning device for use in a laundry dryer. A peracid-containing dry cleaning composition is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,013,575, issued to H. Castrantas, et al., Mar. 22, 1977. Dry cleaning processes are disclosed in: U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,236, issued Jan. 7, 1997 to Roetker; U.S. Pat. No. 5,547,476, issued Aug.20, 1996, to Siklosi and Roetker; EP 429,172A1, published 29.05.91, Leigh, et al.; and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,587, issued Aug. 24, 1993, Smith, et al. Other references relating to dry cleaning compositions and processes, as well as wrinkle treatments for fabrics, include: GB 1,598,911; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,126,563, 3,949,137, 3,593,544, 3,647,354; 3,432,253 and 1,747,324; and German applications 2,021,561 and 2,460,239, 0,208,989 and 4,007,362. Cleaning/pre-spotting compositions and methods are also disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,102,573; 5,041,230; 4,909,962; 4,115,061; 4,886,615; 4,139,475; 4,849,257; 5,112,358; 4,659,496; 4,806,254; 5,213,624; 4,130,392; and 4,395,261. Sheet substrates for use in a laundry dryer are disclosed in Canadian 1,005,204. U.S. Pat. No. 3,956,556 and 4,007,300 relate to perforated sheets for fabric conditioning in a clothes dryer. U.S. Pat. No. 4,692,277 discloses the use of 1,2-octanediol in liquid cleaners. See also U.S. Pat. No. Pat. Nos. 3,591,510; 3,737,387; 3,764,544; 3,882,038; 3,907,496; 4,097,397; 4,102,824; 4,336,024; 4,594,362; 4,606,842; 4,758,641; 4,797,310; 4,802,997; 4,943,392; 4,966,724; 4,983,317; 5,004,557; 5,062,973; 5,080,822; 5,173,200; EP 0 213 500; EP 0 261 718; G.B. 1,397,475; W091/09104; WO91/13145; WO 93/25654 and Hunt, D. G. and N. H. Morris, xe2x80x9cPnB and DPnB Glycol Ethersxe2x80x9d, HAPPI, April 1989, pp. 78-82.
The present invention encompasses, a process for sanitizing a fabric article which is contaminated with one or more microbials. The process comprising the steps of:
a) placing the fabric article in a vapor venting bag together with a cleaning composition comprising water;
b) subjecting the vapor venting bag to a heat source which supplies sufficient heat to vaporize the water, thereby exposing the microbials to the resulting water vapor; and
whereby at least about 50% of the microbials are killed.
The cleaning/refreshing composition of the present invention preferably comprises from about 0.05% to about 3%, preferably from about 0.1% to about 2%, and more preferably from about 0.1% to about 1%, by weight of an antimicrobial agent selected from the group consisting of 5-chloro-2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)phenol, trichlorocarbanalide, hydrogen peroxide, other oxygen bleaches, 4-chloro-3,5-dimethylphenol, iodine/iodophors, chlorhexidine, phenols, phospholipids, thymol, eugeniol, geraniol, oil of lemon grass, limonene and mixtures thereof. The cleaning/refreshing composition preferably further comprises a second antimicrobial agent selected from the group consisting of alkyl alkoxy sulfates, linear alkyl benzene sulfonates, amine oxides, polyhydroxy fatty acid amides, ethoxylated alcohols, diamines, amides, alkyl polyglucosides, betaines, and mixtures thereof. Fully-formulated compositions will typically comprise water, nonionic surfactant, perfume and one or more antimicrobial agents.
In a preferred mode, said composition is releasably absorbed in a carrier, especially a carrier which is in sheet form. Most preferably, said carrier comprises a fibrous, hydroentangled web.
The process according to this invention preferably additionally comprises subjecting said container to a tumbling action concurrently with the heating and vapor venting. In a convenient mode, the source of the heat and of the tumbling action is an integral appliance such as a conventional hot air clothes dryer.
The container used in the process is preferably a flexible bag. This bag is designed to be re-usable and, most preferably, is heat-resistant. As disclosed more fully hereinafter, the preferred container is a vapor-venting containment bag which has a Vapor Venting Equilibrium (VVE) rating of at least about 40, preferably at least about 60, more preferably no greater than about 90, and most preferably no greater than about 80.
In a preferred aspect of the process of this invention a pre-treating step is employed. The pre-treating step comprises applying a pre-treating composition to at least a portion of the fabric article, wherein the pre-treating composition preferably comprises comprises from about 0.05% to about 3%, preferably from about 0.1% to about 2%, and more preferably from about 0.1% to about 1%, by weight of an antimicrobial agent selected from the group consisting of 5-chloro-2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)phenol, trichlorcarbanilide, hexachlorophene, chlorhexadine, o-phenylphenol, benzylquaternium salts and mixtures thereof. Most preferably the pre-treating composition comprises 5-chloro-2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)phenol. The pre-treating step is especially effective in combating the malodorous compounds that are commonly associated with human body odor.
All percentages, ratios and proportions herein are by weight, unless otherwise specified. All documents cited are, in relevant part, incorporated herein by reference.